A Walk On The Beach

Chapter 7

Girl

FIRST DAY AT Hong Kong can only be described as STUFFY! It’s August and Hong Kong is full of tourists and mosquitoes. Jasper’s killed ten already – mosquitoes, not tourists. We’re on our way to visit some relatives. We’re not staying at theirs. We’re staying at a hotel called Conrad Hotel. It’s amazing. It’s huge!

“Why do we have to go see them?” Jasper whines.

“J, you’re acting like a ten-year-old again,” Dad says.

He growls and returns to his PSP.

Mum says, “Aunt Mel and Uncle Roger have not seen you two for years! Their kids’ are about your age, I’m sure.”

“What are their names again?” I ask.

“Diana, Patrick and Cameron,” she replies.

“Which are boys? My age?” Jasper asks, eyes glued to his PSP screen.

“Patrick is thirteen,” she suggests almost hopefully.

I see my brother weigh it in his mind. He nods and says, “That’s all right.”

“Cameron’s a girl name?” I ask.

My parents shrug. Mum says, “There are going to be other uncles and aunts there, too. Your other cousins are going to be there. Don’t forget that, Jasper, Ally.”

Jasper looks up at the mention of my name. “Have you told them about Ally’s...situation?”

“What situation?” I ask sharply. So sharply I feel bad for snapping.

Jasper glares at me. “You know what situation.”

Mum sighs. “There is no situation, Jasper. Please be quiet.”

Jasper sits back in the taxi seat. I can see how annoyed he is. I whisper, “Jasper?” but he ignores me. I’m not sure how much of this I can take. Life was never like this before. I’m not sure how to handle this.

Jasper used to be the sweetest brother; he at least tried to understand back then. He didn’t mind much of the teasing and the talking back then. Then he turned fourteen and he’s been trying to change me ever since. He’d rather have a normal sister than me. Normal as in bitchy, whiney, annoying, short-tempered, humorous – not a joke. One that doesn’t cry over nothing. One that doesn’t spend most of her time dancing in circles, wondering about kite designs. Or fairytale palaces. He wants a sister everyone approves of.  He was never like this. I’m scared, I have to say. I’m not sure how long this is going to last for.

My cousins: Denny is cute; Astrid is pretty; Beatrice is tall; so is her brother Max; Lewis plays football; his sister Laurie plays netball and hockey; their baby brother is named Luke; Jared is hot; Patrick is Jasper’s new best friend; Diana reminds me of Stephanie; Cameron is totally the opposite of Diana (I think she’s the best); and Yasmina is the oldest. But none of them is like me. No one knew.

I have twelve cousins. That is so many! My dad has five brothers and three sisters. My mum has two older brothers.

I sit in the corner in a pink dress, hoping no one will see me. But I need the bathroom. I weave my way through the dozens of bodies. The house is awesome. It has three floors and three bathrooms. It has seven bedrooms. Most of the relatives are staying here; that’s why we’re staying at the hotel.

Diana steps out of the bathroom just as I reach it. She is tying up her long black hair. She sees me. I have never felt so exposed! She narrows her almond eyes, her lips are in the shape of a sneer.

“Well, who’s this? Ally, is it? Well, long time no see, cousin!” she smirks. She laughs and flicks her hair back over her shoulders. “Ten years and you still have not changed, dear cousin. Still a little dainty daisy.”

I bite back all the things I can say, because I will feel bad for saying them later.

Diana laughs again. She sees through me like glass. “Oh, I bet you’re wishing you can say all those nasty thoughts in your head, right? But you don’t want to? Oh what a loser! Woman up, Ally.” She says my name like it disgusts her.

I grit my teeth. I can’t argue with her. I can’t bring myself to her level of ignorance. But a part of me what to tell her what a bitch she is! It’s boiling within me, and she’s blocking my way to the toilet. I clear my throat. “Excuse me, Diana,” I say and push past her.

I slam the door in her face.

I sit behind it with my back against the door. I forget about the reason I’m sitting here, and just cry.

I’m thinking about the stranger who found my scooter key. I hate Stephanie for keeping that to herself. I like to thank people in person. But at least I left a note. I want to see him. I think about all those times I thought I saw someone watching me from that window of his house. Was it him?

I sigh and fiddle with my scooter key. I run down several flights of stairs to find the garage. My scooter is there. Without looking at it I take off down the road. I don’t even tell my mum or dad. No one knows where I’m going and I really don’t care. Right now I need time to think, time to box things up, time to be the carefree and positive girl I like to be.

I cross the busy street without looking. Stupid habits. A car zooms by and brings me back to reality. I’m not on the Island. I’m in Hong Kong, in a busy town. I’m dead. I can’t survive cities! I’m an Island girl! I’m all sun and sandy beaches. What am I doing here?

I go back to the hotel, slip the scooter key under my pillow and cry myself to sleep.